John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 36, 50, 52 and 53 together.

I am pleased to say that at yesterday's Cabinet meeting a new national drugs strategy for the period 2009 to 2016 was approved by Government. The new strategy, which will be published shortly, includes a provision to establish a dedicated office of the Minister for drugs. Arising from the Government decision of 31 March 2009 to include alcohol and drugs in a combined national substance misuse policy, it is envisaged that the new strategy will be an interim policy pending the development of the broader strategy, which is expected by the end of 2010. The focus at the outset of the implementation of the new strategy will be on the optimum use of the current resources, currently in the region of €266 million per annum, allocated to tackling the drugs problem across a number of different Departments and agencies.

The steering group, set up to develop proposals on a new strategy, comprised representatives of the community, voluntary and statutory sectors involved in addressing problem drug use. Thus, a community input was facilitated and supported throughout the process. The group undertook an extensive consultation process in mid-2008. This process included 15 public consultation meetings across the country and meetings with relevant Departments and agencies, key sectoral representatives and organisations and targeted focus groups. Submissions in writing were also received from the public and from other bodies. Many community organisations contributed to this process through specific meetings and submissions as well as through the attendance of members at the various public consultation meetings. The new strategy will build on the existing partnership approach across the statutory and community and voluntary sectors while further developing governance, management and overall effectiveness.

It is envisaged that the new national substance misuse strategy will incorporate the already agreed drugs policy element. A further steering group, or similar mechanism, will be utilised to develop proposals and make recommendations in this regard. It is likely that the group will begin work in autumn 2009, with a view to finalising the strategy by the end of 2010. While the establishment of this group has yet to be addressed, I fully expect it to include appropriate representatives from across the sectors.

See this speech in context